Crouch Harbour Authority is a ‘Trust Port’ Authority – that is an independent Statutory Harbour Authority with its own Act of Parliament: Crouch Harbour Act 1974. We are not directly connected with the County or District Council. We are formally responsible to the Ports Division of the Department for Transport. Trust Ports are very common around UK coasts. Other sorts of harbour include those owned/managed by local authorities and larger ports owned by big commercial port operators such as Associated British Ports Plc.
As a Trust Port we are regarded as using our powers and holding our assets for the benefit of our stakeholders. We have no shareholders and make no distributions of profit. Our members receive no remuneration for their services. Members are entitled to claim travelling expenses etc but very few do so.
Crouch Harbour Authority was originally established under the sponsorship of Essex County Council to purchase the areas of river bed acquired speculatively by the private Crouch River Company, in order that these assets should come under public ownership. The Harbour Authority still owns extensive areas of the bed of R. Crouch and a few small areas of R. Roach. Other areas are owned by the Crown Estate and by private landowners.
Originally the Crouch Harbour Act reserved membership of the harbour authority to persons nominated by the County and District Councils, the Water Authority and other specified bodies. Following government policy for Trust Ports this was changed by Harbour Revision Order in 2007 so that the members of the authority are now private individuals who do not represent any other organisation. Collectively the Members contribute a wide range of skills and experience appropriate for the management of a modern harbour. Vacancies for new Members are advertised in the local press as they arise, and also in this website. The Authority welcomes expressions of interest in membership from all sections of the community.